by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

by Adi Joseph, USA TODAY Sports

Five top story lines for Wednesday's 13-game NBA slate (all times p.m. Eastern):

Will Kobe Bryant continue to defer?

Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz, 9: The Lakers finally won Sunday, and Bryant's passing was a big reason. They were dominant against the Detroit Pistons, working the ball inside while mixing in fast breaks and open three-pointers like the San Antonio Spurs. Bryant was the central figure. The shooting guard finished with 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting, eight assists and seven rebounds. With Steve Nash out, he's the Lakers' top playmaker and needs to continue to help teammates find shots. Three Lakers took more than Bryant, the type of thing you never expect to see in a box score. But it's the best way for this team to congeal until Nash returns. Then again, if the Jazz put Gordon Hayward on Bryant, he can always go off for 81 points.

Are the Brooklyn Nets actual competitors?

Nets at Miami Heat, 7:30: How is this game not on national TV? The Nets beat the Toronto Raptors in their opener, then lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in an encore. Now we get to see their cool black road jerseys for the first time. The Nets don't match up well with the Heat, particularly with likely LeBron James defender Gerald Wallace out with a sprained ankle. But Deron Williams should outclass Mario Chalmers, and the Heat don't have an ideal answer for Nets center Brook Lopez.

Seven years later, is Gerald Green ready for the NBA?

Indiana Pacers at Atlanta Hawks, 7:30: Two small forwards slid on Draft Day 2005: Danny Granger and Green. The Pacers snatched Granger 17th overall out of New Mexico, and he blossomed into an All-Star. The Celtics took Green one pick later out of high school, and he fell apart, falling out of the NBA because of a lack of work ethic. Green returned to the NBA as a viable contributor last season and was one of the Pacers' biggest free agent additions this offseason. His role will be magnified as Granger sits for three months with a knee injury, and he has averaged 9.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 29.8 minutes a game. His athleticism and talent always were clear. Now he must do something with them.

Could things get any more awkward for the New Orleans Hornets?

Philadelphia 76ers at Hornets, 8, ESPN: This game was scheduled as a showcase for new Sixers center Andrew Bynum and new Hornets savior Anthony Davis. And we'll get plenty of bench shots of them as they sit out with injuries. Let's recap what's going on in New Orleans: Davis, the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft, had a concussion; coach Monty Williams was fined by the NBA for complaining about concussion regulations; shooting guard Eric Gordon, the team's best scorer, is injured and reportedly unhappy; and touted rookie Austin Rivers, Gordon's assumed replacement, has a sprained finger. Now they get a nationally televised home game. At least point guard Greivis Vasquez is dishin' and swishin'.

Why did so many people overlook the San Antonio Spurs?

Spurs at Los Angeles Clippers, 10:30, ESPN: They're boring, supposedly. They flop and focus on efficiency over flair and don't have charismatic players. That's the line on the Spurs. But they also have the best record in the Western Conference for the third consecutive season. The Clippers will be San Antonio's staunchest test yet, but with Tim Duncan playing at an MVP level, it's easy to see how the Spurs could find the power for a fifth ring in the Duncan-Gregg Popovich era. And the haters will hate.